Nehemia 5

1 Ary nitaraina mafy ny lehilahy sy ny vadiny ny amin’ ny Jiosy rahalahiny.

And there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.

2 Fa nisy nanao hoe: Maro izahay mbamin’ ny zanakai-lahy sy ny zanakai-vavy; koa ta-hahazo vary izahay mba hohaninay hivelomanay.

And there were some that said, Our sons, and our daughters, [and] ourselves are many; and we must buy corn, that we may eat, and live.

3 Ary nisy koa nanao hoe: Ny taninay sy ny tanim-boalobokay ary ny tranonay dia efa nataonay antoka, koa ta-hahazo vary izahay noho ny mosary.

And others there were that said, We must pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses, that we may buy corn, in the famine.

4 Ary nisy koa indray nanao hoe: Efa nisambo-bola izahay handoavanay ny hetran’ ny mpanjaka, ary ny taninay sy ny tanim-boalobokay no nataonay antoka.

And others there were that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and vineyards.

5 Kanefa mba tahaka ny nofon’ ny rahalahinay ihany ny nofonay, ary tahaka ny zanany ihany ny zanakay; fa na dia izany aza, indreo izahay manetry ny zanakai-lahy sy ny zanakai-vavy ho andevo, ary ny sasany amin’ ny zanakai-vavy dia efa andevo rahateo; nefa tsy manan-ko enti-manavotra azy izahay, satria lasan’ ny sasany ny taninay sy ny tanim-boalobokay.

Yet now our flesh is like the flesh of our brethren, our children are like their children: and, lo, we must force our sons and our daughters to become servants, and some of our daughters are forced [to become so], and our hand is powerless; and our fields and our vineyards belong to others.

6 Dia tezitra indrindra aho, raha nahare ny fitarainany sy izany teny izany.

And it displeased me greatly when I heard their complaint and these words.

7 Ary nihevitra tao am-poko aho, ka dia nananatra mafy ny manan-kaja sy ny mpanapaka ka nanao taminy hoe: Samy mampanàna zavatra amin’ ny rahalahinareo avy ianareo. Dia nanendry fiangonan-dehibe aho hitsarana azy.

Then did I consult with my heart, and I upbraided the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, “Ye exact usury, every one of his brother!” And I brought together a great assembly against them.

8 Ary hoy izaho taminy: Izahay araka izay tratry ny nanananay dia efa nanavotra ny Jiosy rahalahinay, izay efa namidy tamin’ ny jentilisa; fa ianareo kosa moa hivarotra ny rahalahinareo va, ka hamidy aminay va izy? Dia sina izy, fa tsy hitany izay havaliny.

And I said unto them, We have indeed ransomed our brethren the Jews, who had been sold unto the various nations, as far as our means went: and will ye yourselves even sell your brethren, so that they will be sold again unto us? And they remained silent, and found no answer.

9 Ary hoy koa aho: Tsy tsara izao ataonareo izao; moa tsy tokony handeha amin’ ny fahatahorana an’ Andriamanitsika va ianareo noho ny fanaratsian’ ny jentilisa fahavalontsika?

Then said I, The thing is not good which ye are doing: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the taunting of the nations, our enemies?

10 Izaho sy ny rahalahiko ary ny zatovoko efa nampanàna vola sy vary taminy; koa masìna ianareo, aoka re hafointsika izany trosa izany;

And also I, my brothers, and my young men, have lent them money and corn: I pray you, let us relinquish this loan.

11 eny, masìna ianareo, ampodio aminy anio ihany ny taniny sy ny tanim-boalobony sy ny tanin’ olivany sy ny tranony sy ny ampahazaton’ ny vola sy ny vary ary ny divay sy ny diloilo izay nampisamborinareo azy.

Give back to them, I pray you, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye have lent them.

12 Dia hoy ireo: Eny, hampodinay izany, ka tsy haka na inona na inona aminy izahay, fa hanao araka izay lazainao. Dia niantso ny mpisorona aho ka nampianiana ireo hanao araka izany teny izany,

Then said they, We will give [all] back, and of them will we require nothing: so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and made them swear, that they would do in accordance with this promise.

13 sady nanakopaka ny lambako teo am-pofoako aho ka nanao hoe: Ho tahaka izany anie no hanakopahan’ Andriamanitra ny olona rehetra izay tsy mahantanteraka izany teny izany hiala amin’ ny tranony sy ny vokatry ny asany; eny, hakopaka ka hofoanana tahaka izany anie izy. Ary ny fiangonana rehetra nanao hoe: Amena; sady nidera an’ i Jehovah izy. Ary dia nanao araka izany teny izany ny olona.

Also my lap did I shake out, and said, So may God shake out every man that performeth not this promise, from his house and of his toil-gotten wealth, and so let him remain shaken out, and empty. And all the assembly said, Amen, and they praised the Lord. And the people did according to this promise.

14 Ary koa, hatramin’ ny andro nanendrena ahy ho governora amin’ ny tany Joda, dia hatramin’ ny taona faharoa-polo ka hatramin’ ny taona faharoa amby telo-polo nanjakan’ i Artaksersesy, dia roa ambin’ ny folo taona izay, izaho sy ny raha! ahiko tsy mba nihinana izay anjara-fiveloman’ ny governora.

Moreover from the day that [the king] had enjoined on me to be governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year up to the two and thirtieth year of king Artaxerxes, [full] twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food of the governor.

15 Fa ireo governora fahiny izay teo alohako ireo dia nahavaky tratra ny olona ka nampandoa azy hanina sy divay ary sekely volafotsy efa-polo koa; eny, na dia ny zatovony aza dia nisetrasetra tamin’ ny olona; fa izaho tsy mba nanao izany noho ny fahatahorako an’ Andriamanitra.

But the former governors that had been before me had made it heavy for the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver: yea, even their young men ruled over the people; but I myself did not act so, because of the fear of God.

16 Eny, izaho naharitra nanao io manda io ihany, sady tsy nividy tany izahay; ary ny zatovoko rehetra dia voangona hanao ny asa.

And in the work of this wall also did I labor actively; and we bought not any fields; and all my young men were assembled there by the work.

17 Ary teo amin’ ny latabatro nisy Jiosy sy mpanapaka dimam-polo amby zato afa-tsy izay nankeo aminay avy tamin’ ny firenena manodidina anay.

Moreover of the Jews and rulers, one hundred and fifty men, besides those that came unto us from the nations that are about us, [ate] at my table.

18 Ary ny namboarina ho ahy isan’ andro dia omby iray sy ondry matavy enina ary vorona koa, ary indray mandeha isan-kafoloana dia nasiana divay samy hafa betsaka; nefa na dia izany aza, ny anjara-fiveloman’ ny governora dia tsy mba nilaiko, satria nahavesatra ny olona ny fanompoana.

And that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also birds were prepared for me, and once in ten days all sorts of wine in abundance: yet with all this I required not the food of the governor; because the service lay heavily upon this people.

19 Tsarovy aho ka hasoavy, ry Andriamanitro ô, araka izay rehetra nataoko ho an’ ity firenena ity.

Remember for me, my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.